NYU junior Leah El-Ouazzane is a born traveler, growing up in Paris, Texas and San Francisco. So it seemed likely that a study abroad semester would enhance her college experience. She spent a semester in Tel Aviv, followed by another this fall in Buenos Aires, even planning on a possible third in London. However, when she arrived in Argentina last September, she was surprised by her homesickness. Living with a host family that mainly spoke Spanish, she felt the isolating blows of the language barrier.
Yet instead of crawling into solitude, she forced herself to get out of her comfort zone and take an intensive Spanish course five days a week. She practiced her skills by going to cafés, traveling the country, speaking to locals, and living with her host family. “You learn to be alone, and you learn to not be lonely when you’re alone,” she said. Fast forward to December, her eyes tear up when she thinks about having to leave and now plans to move to another Spanish-speaking country post-graduation.
El-Ouazzane’s experience of self-discovery has been echoed by other NYU students studying abroad. Students overwhelmingly agree that being on their own in a foreign country helped them find themselves and overcome fears of loneliness.
Self-growth comes from the ample free time students have during their study abroad. Many are pushed out of their comfort zones, unable to rely on friends and family, especially in countries with language barriers. However, loneliness and independence make for a stronger sense of self. In a Harvard Business study conducted on self-concept clarity and studying abroad, researchers found that those who had lived abroad experienced a clearer concept of self than those who had not. We ask several NYU students to share their experiences with us.
NYU junior Khaled Ghabiesh’s plans to join the film program, FAMU in Prague, were foiled by a missing requirement. Instead of making films, he had time to reflect on his academic trajectory and mental health, everything he’d been pushing off in the 24-hour hecticness of New York.
After spending the past two years going back-and-forth deciding whether he wanted to pursue a concentration in directing or animation, he finally had to confront his academic trajectory. For the first time, he didn’t have a film project taking up his time or distracting him from making this decision, and it was daunting. “My anxieties were just kind of like some internal monster,” he said.
Watching the filmmakers around him, he began to compare himself, feeling like he was falling behind. “I’m a very last-minute thinker and last-minute worker,” he said. “Free time forces you to not be because there’s always something on your mind about the film industry, especially seeing it all around you.” He started journaling, going to academic counselors for guidance and asking for help instead of remaining stoic.
“I’ve experienced crazy self-growth in Prague,” he said. Unlike fast-paced New York, “When I was here things slowed down, and I was like I gotta figure some [stuff] out before I get back.” Doing just that, Khaled is leaving Prague with plans for a film he wants to create in New York and a newly declared major in animation.
While academic and career realizations are especially important for undergraduate students, having a supportive community of other international students is imperative to success. NYU Prague’s Assistant Director for Academic Affairs Vanda Thorne recently spoke with some students about their initial apprehensions before studying abroad. Many admitted to being stressed about making friends but ended up being grateful for the opportunity to meet new people. “I feel that many students arrive locked up in their comfortable bubbles and their stay in Prague helps them see beyond those bubbles,” she said.
NYU senior Brayden Moore was nervous coming into Prague; he wasn’t even sure where the city was located. After finding out about its central-European location, his naivety turned into anxiety. Scared of not making friends, he found a Czech lacrosse team on Instagram and DM’d one of the players a few weeks before his arrival. They responded, offering Brayden an opportunity to play with them once he arrived in Prague. “I wanted to make plans to be on the team before I came so that I would not just feel like I’m on an island,” he said. “You at least want someone there who you can kind of fall back on, some sort of anchor.”
Even with the language barrier, the team managed to make him feel welcome. As the coaches spoke little English, he discovered an understanding of non-verbal communication. Relatively soon, he was able to pick up on facial expressions, body language, and voice tones. Even the little things, like drawing plays on a whiteboard or a friend nudging him to translate what the coach said into English, made him feel less lonely. “I’ll be sad to not see them again, which, I think, is a good mark of a friendship,” he said.
Post-study-abroad depression is real. Many students are upset at the thought of leaving their new friends and life behind as the semester comes to an end and reality sets in. But, the experience of studying abroad leaves its mark— influencing 95% of students’ worldviews, according to an alumni survey.
Many students experience “reverse culture shock” coming home, said NYU Prague’s Special Programs Manager Leah Gaffen. They’ve become “locals” in their study-abroad country. She notices that many students take things for granted: the architectural beauty, the accessibility of public transport, and the small campus atmosphere. “It’s not until they don’t have it that they realize how much they miss it,” she said.
Laila Kayyali unexpectedly found herself not wanting to leave her semester in Prague. “People always said that their study-abroad experiences were amazing and I didn’t know what that meant,” she said. Initially believing studying abroad to be an opportunity of travel, she didn’t realize how being independent would shape and give her a sense of self-clarity.
She was fearful of living with a randomly assigned roommate. “I was scared at the idea of spending too much time with someone to the point where you start to hate each other,” she said. Instead, living with a stranger taught her the importance of keeping social-personal balance and respecting boundaries. “You have to be conscious that you’re sharing a space with someone, even when you get comfortable,” she said.
Also in signing up for a Czech language class, Laila stepped out of her comfort zone. Taking courses on Duolingo the summer before, she feared she was going to fall behind. But, she knew her anxieties would be worth it. “It really makes you feel way more a part of the city itself,” she said. Each day she woke up a little more confident to ask for directions, order food at a restaurant, and pay a cashier with the correct change. Having a Czech-based internship for the semester, she impressed her employers by occasionally speaking in Czech. Speaking the language, she learned, is a huge advantage professionally.
Leaning to be independent and fluent, instilled confidence in her ability to adapt and to learn more about herself and how to interact with the people. “It’s way more than just living somewhere you’re probably never going to live again,” she said.
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